THIS WEEKEND IN CHICAGO – Your Ticket to the “Greenest” Event in Town!
There’s nothing quite like St. Patrick’s Day here in Chicago! Chicagoans celebrate Irish culture and tradition throughout this great city of ours this weekend, since the actual holiday falls on a workday (next Friday)! So, don your best green outfit and become Irish for a day, because there is no shortage of ways to celebrate!!
Saturday (9:00 a.m.) starts off with the Dyeing of the Chicago River at Columbus and Wacker Drives. Our river becomes a brilliant green as 45 pounds of vegetable dye color is added to the water. It lasts for about five hours, so be sure to get there right when it happens before it turns murky green again!
The festivities continue with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade beginning at noon at Columbus Drive and Balbo Avenue and continuing north to Monroe Street. It will last for about three hours and this year’s theme is “Irish Immigration: A New World of Opportunity.” This parade is definitely packed with all things Irish from colorful floats waving their green/white/orange flags proudly, to troops of Irish step dancers, to booming marching bands & bagpipers, and of course, to the Queen and her Court!
For those who prefer to begin their Saturday the right way, the Chicago Shamrock Crawl takes place at many of Wrigleyville’s best bars from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Your ticket includes a T-shirt, a breakfast buffet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. (check website for buffet hosts), a gift card to use on the crawl, giveaways and much more!
After the downtown parade, head over to the Irish American Heritage Center (4626 N. Knox Ave.) in the Mayfair neighborhood for their annual St. Patrick’s Festival from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. to continue your day of being Irish. This large-scale, family-oriented celebration features traditional & contemporary Irish music with dance, food & drink, vendors selling Irish gifts, children’s activities, cultural programs & exhibits and much, much more! Then, come back for more on March 17th!!
But wait, the green event also continues this Sunday with the following parades:
The South Side Irish Parade steps-off at noon from west 103rd Street proceeding down Western Avenue to 115th Street. This annual parade is a great time to spend with family and friends, as this event has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol during the parade route, which is strictly enforced! So, bring the kids and enjoy an afternoon of Irish fun with floats, marching bands and bagpipes!! Also, the Emerald Isle Mile begins at 11:30 a.m. with a portion of the proceeds going to offset the cost of the parade.
The Northwest Side Irish Parade steps-off at noon from William J. Onahan School (6634 W. Raven St.) and winds through the Norwood Park neighborhood. This fun-filled community event celebrates faith, family and Irish heritage with a special tribute to the community’s efforts on behalf of veterans and military families! Afterwards, the festivities continue from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Immaculate Conception Recreation Center (7271 W. Talcott Ave.) featuring a Danny Boy Corned Beef and cabbage dinner along with soda, beer, wine and live entertainment!!
Will You Be Irish This Weekend?
